Griffo: Six years and out for governor

Republican State Sen. Joe Griffo has another log to throw on the fire of a possible state constitutional convention: giving the governor a single six-year term, while at the same time setting up a California-style mechanism for recall.

“As a strong believer in reforming a system that allows power to be perpetuated, I have become convinced that changing New York’s laws to require the Governor to serve only one term will help the state. Instead of the months, if not years, that are wasted while politicians, pundits and the media focus on nothing more than the next election, whoever is elected Governor will be able to focus on getting the job done the right way from the minute he or she assumes office.”

As a North Country Republican in a state that’s demographically shifting to favor Democrats, the appeal of a single-term governor is obvious. It’s also worth noting that Griffo is not advocating for term limits for legislators, whose incumbency advantages are considerable — although he was an early and strong supporter of term limits for legislative leadership posts. (Griffo himself was elected to three four-year terms as mayor of Rome.)

Griffo compares his proposal to Virginia’s system, but his description of its operation is inaccurate: Although he’s quoted in his press release noting that “the State of Virginia limits Governors to one four-year term,” it doesn’t: An Old Dominion governor is welcome to try again after four years have passed — his or her second (or third or fourth) term just can’t be consecutive.

Griffo’s measure, however, would limit New York’s governor to a single six-year term, with no encore at any time.

Griffo’s reform agenda would also call for special elections to fill the offices of state comptroller and attorney general if they become vacant, and would make the appointment of a lieutenant governor subject to majority vote in the Senate and the Assembly.

Another bill would establish a California-style system by which voters could put referenda, initiatives and recalls on the statewide ballot.

Read the full press release after the jump.

Utica – Senator Joseph A. Griffo (R,I,C – Rome) continued to press for a reform-minded agenda today by calling for further overhaul of New York ’s political power structure by introducing legislation, Senate bill 6195, that would limit a Governor to one six-year term of office.

“As a strong believer in reforming a system that allows power to be perpetuated, I have become convinced that changing New York’s laws to require the Governor to serve only one term will help the state. Instead of the months, if not years, that are wasted while politicians, pundits and the media focus on nothing more than the next election, whoever is elected Governor will be able to focus on getting the job done the right way from the minute he or she assumes office,” Griffo said. “Instead of being forced to bend with the political winds, a Governor has the freedom to do what he or she promised when campaigning without the influence of support that might be needed for a second term. Also, this ensures a fresh point of view and a changing power structure instead of a system where Executive Branch positions of power begin to feel like entitlements and not positions of responsibility.”

Griffo said that the State of Virginia limits Governors to one four-year term, but that he felt four years was not enough time. “I think a six-year term allows anyone the opportunity to give his or her ideas a try, adapt ideas to changing times, and accomplish what is possible,” Griffo said. “I also believe that if we twin this important reform with my reform proposal to give the people of New York the power of recall, we will have structured government to make it more responsive to the people and to ensure that leadership positions rotate among the many outstanding men and women who are qualified to lead.”

This is not Griffo’s first effort to support term limits. In the Spring of 2007, he introduced legislation that would create term limits for legislative leadership positions. Much of that proposal was incorporated into new State Senate rules that took effect this summer. Key elements of Griffo’s Reform Agenda include:

S.6093 to call for a state constitutional convention that can fix the structural flaws in the Legislature and in the rules that govern vacancies for elected positions, so that there can be no more appointments to statewide offices and no more backroom dealing.
S. 6060 to create a mechanism for recall that will remind Albany the people, not the politicians, are in charge.
S. 6067 that puts a process in place to fill the office of lieutenant governor and allows the Legislature, as the voice of the people, a real voice in the process.
S. 2929 and S. 2930 to create special elections for statewide offices of comptroller and attorney general when they become vacant.